Nabataean Petra began around 300 BC from nomadic settlement origins. The city was also occupied starting around 106 AD with final occupation to the 7th century AD. Petra location was located between Egyptian, Babylonian, and Assyrian territories. As a result over time many exterior cultural, political, and technological influenced the history of the Nabataean City. The Nabataean kingdom included Jordan, the Hawran in southern Syria, Sinai, the Negev, a large part of the Hijaz in north-western Arabia, and for a short time it even included Damascus. The verb “nabat” in Arabic means for water “to percolate from underground to the surface.”

Petra’s location as an intersection for caravan trade from Arabia, Africa, and the Far East sustained the life and wealth of the city and allowing appropriate water supply infrastructure for its survival as a result of the complex topography and the limited water resources of the area. Water infrastructure technology passed on through the ages obviously from the Egyptian, Mesopotamian, Minoan, Hellenistic Greeks, and the Romans, Petra was able to develop magnificent water infrastructure for the arid area. The Nabataeans had a tremendous understanding of the natural flow of water in the unique surroundings. Water infrastructure included terraces, channels, settling basins, aqueducts, dams, rainwater harvesting, flood harvesting, groundwater harvesting, a large range of size and types of cisterns, reservoirs created by dams, water distribution tanks, and springs. Throughout the Petra area there are hundreds of cisterns.

The Treasury (Al Khazna)

Road to entrance along Wadi Musa

Near entrance along Wadi Musa

At entrance showing new additions for diverting flows from the Siq and the ancient tunnel built by the Nabataeans for diverting flows from the Siq

Entrance to Siq where Wadi Musa originally flowed.

Flood bypass tunnel built by the Nabataeans near entrance to the Siq from Wadi Musa into Wadi Mudhlim through the tunnel W. Bachmann’s 1917 reconstruction of the entrance to the Siq with the plan above and the elevation above. Also shown is the location of the flood bypass tunnel.

Aqueduct along Siq , which is Wadi Musa.

Outlet from cistern/settling basin

Wadi Qantara inlet with newly constructed dam structure in the background. Cross-drainage structure for water channel (aqueduct) is shown with the two outlets.

Wadi Qantara inlet showing the rock-cut steps to the sanctuary in the western cliff.

Aqueduct channel showing rock cover that once covered the aqueduct

Stilling basin in Siq at bottom of Wadi Jilf after restoration.

Shows stilling basin at outlet of Wadi Jilf. Two outlets in cross-drainage structure in background.

Settling basin along aqueduct in the Siq

View of aqueduct along Siq

Along Siq

Along Siq showing aqueducts on both sides.

At end of Siq is the Treasury (Al Khazna)

Steps of the path to the High Place of Sacrfice along Wadi Al-Mahfur

The High Place of Sacrifice. Notice the outlet on the right for cleaning the sacrifice area.

Small sacrifice area with drain and carved out area that could also collect water carved out chamber for storage of water.